In a speech to be made before the Renewable Fuels Association today, Chrysler President and CEO Thomas LaSorda is expected to detail the company’s plan of broadening their development and production of E85 flexible-fuel vehicles and other alternative fuel-powered vehicles. The plan is in line with the growing consensus among politicians and automakers that ethanol can be the solution to the fuel crisis being faced by the nation.

DaimlerChrysler is the latest automaker to join the E85 bandwagon after Toyota announced its plan of producing E85-powered vehicles by 2008. Unlike Toyota, however, DaimlerChrysler has already been producing flex-fuel vehicles. In fact, the company has already produced some 1.5 million flexible-fuel vehicles, although majority of these vehicles are sold to fleet customers. In the announcement to be made today, LaSorda is expected to detail their plans of producing E85-fueled vehicles to be sold to direct consumers.

Among Chrysler’s plans that will be announced today is the addition of three new E85 flexible fuel vehicles in September. These vehicles are flex-fuel versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander and the Dodge Dakota pickup. Chrysler also expects to sell 250,000 E85-fueled vehicles in 2007 and 500,000 units in 2008.

But despite DaimlerChrysler’s and other automakers’ commitment to the development of ethanol-fueled vehicles, there is still a problem that may hinder the nation’s success with ethanol. Many automakers point to ethanol availability as the problem. Foreseen ethanol production this year amounts to less than 1% of the nation’s annual gasoline consumption. Aside from that, only 681 fueling station offers ethanol. As LaSorda wisely said it in a statement addressed to the Detroit Economic Club, “Unfortunately, virtually all of those vehicles – some of you may even be driving them – are running on pure gasoline, due to lack of a fuel infrastructure.”